Filled with secure containers and rooms from which one can observe strange experements. Prototype spaceship engines and powercores line the walls and a range of automated heavy machinery is available to the technicians. Prof. Yar , Foremost expert in interstelar travel is in charge of this department. The Fracture project is currently the focus of reaserch here - it consists of the bending and fracturing of space through the use of concentrated mana.

"We could start with the design of the Sunrise matrix system," Carson said, pulling his AI chip from his visor. "Do you have a holographic interface in here?" He asked, holding his AI chip aloft for Professor Yar.

'We do.' said Yar happily. He showed him to a large room. 'It goes a step better than holo projection, If given the order it will build what ever the schematics show.'

"Variant-Umber still relies on hand-crafted," Carson stated, inserting the chip into the interface receiver.

"Maria," He said as his AI was uploaded, "Begin upload of 'Sunrise Energy Matrix Drain System."

The schematics were soon uploaded, including measurements and components of each individual piece.

'Hmm, this IS an antique! Just by changing some of the matirials used with more sophisticated ones would make it much better... But there are more things than that to be done, if one were to possition a few SF3s correctly the drive would be much less likely to fail.'

"I agree. Maria, please display for Professor Yar the current problem."

The projection changed quickly, showing several of the matrix wires melted together and intertwined, dangerously near the crystal.

Carson pointed the problem out. "This is why I need to get it repaired quickly. If another battle caused the drive to overheat, I fear maybe the mana crystal might crack and explode."

'Hmm, that is a sirrious safty issue. The SF3s will help, they can channel energy buildups to areas where there is none... but you want a localised sheild grid to protect it and TetraPhosphoNitrate Cage around it to protect the rest of the ship if it does bust... then you will need back up sources or even a backup drive to keep you alive...'

"Maria, please show Yar the current configuration of the ship."

The schematic of the matrix downsized, allowing for the rest of the ship to be displayed around it.

"Because of the design, Professor Yar, doing so would require a comlpete dismantlement and reassembly of the Sunrise ship." He pointed out where the sheets were welded together in the design, and the many technology ports.

"We would have to completely redesign the bridge, the cargo, and the matrix room."

'The room yes... the rest of the ship, posibly... we would have to find the corect form of shield, a deflector would cause problems to the rest of the ship, and an energy dissapator would affect the drive negatively. So you would need a device to absorb the energy and then feed it to the drive. Then the other power source for the sheild and SF3s would take up some room... but I think that the main frame of the ship would be kept intact.'

"Although I trust your knowledge, Professor Yar, and I do not mean to insult you, but...

"Maria, calculate possible upgrades to the ship, as well as new schematics."

Maria, his AI, quickly regenerated the model of the ship, including the what Yar was proposing. The shape was, in essence, still the Sunrise, but the schematics had been changed so much that it seemed to be a different ship when everything was calculated into the equation.

"If you see, Professor Yar, we would have to take apart the ship entirely in order to apply all of the upgrades, as the Matrix Drive and the batteries are all engrained into the ship's infrastructure to the point of not just an upgrade, but an overhaul."

'Well I was only thinking of the pilots safty, however if you want just a minor upgrade, the new matirials and SF3s could still be used. The Tetraphosphonitrate cage around the crystal can be fitted easily to prevent the ship exploding, but you would still be stranded in space. In truth it does need an overhaul, but I understand why you wouldn't want that.'

Maria flashed something across his visor about the Zerian forces. "Actually, it's not so much that I wouldn't WANT it, so much that I don't think I could pay for an overhaul."

He turned out his pockets. "I'm kind of poor on hard cash, unless you take neutral credits."

(um What are neutral credits)
'You, shouldn't let money get in the way of advancement. We do want payment, but it doesn't need to be all in one go. We can negociate later first we have to decide what it is you want to change.'

(I meant some form of intergalactic monetary value.)

"I want to change the matrix. Everything else seems superficial, but you're the Professor here."

'Hmm, the overhaul I suggested earlier would cost quite a bit... but as a result the craft is much less likely to be damaged, so it could end up saving you money. I'll get the techs to do that for you at a price of 3000 credits a month for about 9 months (I have no idea of value so assume thats reasonable). Or we could just build a new drive with more high tech matirials and some of the safymeasures I mentioned for about 6000 credits which you can pay in small installments if you want.'

Carson thought about it. He certainly had the money saved up, and had enough stored scrap back at his orbital garage to make up the difference. "On a separate note, how long do you think the Zerians are going to stay here?"

If it was going to be a prolonged amount of time, he might as well go with the full overhaul.

'They wont be leaving soon, they have taken the planets obital space and are setting up a camp here. They are still allowing trade, and you can probably leave the planet, unless you are shipping wepons or other millitary tech... but no, for now, they're here to stay.'

"Then I will have to say yes to the overhaul. It seems to be a better choice in the long run.

"There is one problem, however: My ship is being held in orbit. Are we to work on it there, or can you somehow bring it planetside?"

'Not to worry my friend, the Zerians are only checking ships, your ship must have been reliced by now. Well bring it to the bay' he said waving his hand out towards a huge region used for suspending ships for repairs or construction. 'Because to want it to be hand built, we will take a substancial amount of time, you are welcome to be there and help, or you can engoy some of the delights Dwin has to offer. Clara can organise hotel rooms for you, she is amazingly good at getting things done.'

"If you can get it planetside, that would be most appreciated. I would gladly help with the building process, but the problem is I only know my ship and its numbers. I have no clue as to the actual application of the knowledge."

'Not to worry, we will get it done as soon as we can, meanwhile go the the main building and talk to Clara, you realy should engoy your stay at Dwin. Everybody needs a holiday some time!' he said happily.

By sun set the ship wold be in the bay and upgrades would be underway.

*Entering the department the Judicator looked around for a someone who could help her find a reasonable aerospace thrust gauges and arsenal weapons.

Everyone was currently working on Carson's ship, but Yar quickly got up from his work to speak to the new vissitor. 'Hello, how may I help you.'

" I am Judicator Edullon of Eretia. We seek a member with expertise in aerospace engineering whom can share both arsenal and thrust vector capabilities. In return, we have our own technology available. "

'We have limmeted weaponry, we don't support war in general... what we do have we get through trade with the alliance. However we do have many advanced and original propulsion devices and a range of sheilding technology. We are always willing to share technology and knowledge. Appart from the sheilds that currently protect our planet.'

" Ah, all advances are graciously thanked, and perhaps if good enough, rewarded too. Please direct me to your thrust and shielding laboratory. "

'The shielding is developed by a seperate department, but all the non-clasified models are here so that we can try intergtating them in to ships or use them for our projects.
First I'll show you some craft if thats OK'

He showed him into a large holoprojector room. An image of a sleek spherical vessel apeared. 'This is the Axom, named after its original creator - but it has been masively improved since. It posseses a holow core in which mana is drained out of to nere vacume, in then travels along Mana strings that make up the wieve. The unique nature of its travel makes it incorporial during long distance travel, although is uses gas jets for orbital movement and stabalisation, during which it is solid.'

He tapped a holographic button and the ship was switched with another. It was a small arrow shaped craft, it had small blue lights covering most of it's surface. 'This one man craft is one of the smallest manned vessels capable of traveling in hyperspace , it has such high precision that it can matirialise on to a planets surface without endding up imbedded in the ground, I would expect them to be effective hit and run fighters...'

he hit another button and what looked like a colection of silver bubbles apeared, they could be seen to fuse together into one bubble and change shape at will. 'This is an experemental 'Io 918' it is an unmaned liquid craft - the entire thing is made out of indevidual metal spheres that are smaller than the eye can see and covered in nanocircuitry. Their unique build allows them to travel through what is known as liquid space, it is the closest we can currently get to teleportation. The ship itself can act as a solid and so can protect a ship in perrel by taking the oncoming fire, this does break the ship apart, but give it a few minuits and it will start to gather itself together again. It can record a range or data including vissual and is capable of cloaking. If you wanted it as a war craft, I guess it would be possible to make it arrow shaped and use it as a torpedo against other ships, then you could use them again and again.' he didn't like the idea of using them for war but knew that that is how they would end up...

*And as the vessels were projected and the professor spoke the Judicator would run her hands along the edges of the transparent vehicles as they appeared. Slowly the purplish-blue hands would glide along the edges of the outline as if it were a solid, a real, a truth as real as any other that they experienced together in the room.

Though they are known for such attributes as their strength, their insight, and their intellect, the Eretians are best known for their love of all things; living, dead, inanimate, and real. All were and are equal in the eyes of the Judicator, all apart of a long and condense equation filled with variables of the imaginary, the radical, the real, and the complex together as one.

And so as the session ended and the lights beamed back across the room illuminating the two the Judicator would turn their head towards the professor and nod graciously towards him and turn back at where the ships once projected themselves around.

" It is strange... is it not? "

The Eretian paused as her hands seemingly once again would glide in the air against the hull that once simulated itself there.

" Strange how things change, how they evolve in their infinites. They live great and glorious lives amongst the energies of the universe, uniforming and unifying themselves into new entities each time. "

The Judicator paused for a moment holding her hand delicate and still against the once-hull.

" And how they reform or 'die' as you many you humanoids alike may call it. "

The hands would then continue again.

" Do you have a model of the second craft that we may more physically inspect? And if so, direct me to it so. "

" In addition, which of your crafts would be most suitable in supporting such crafts as the second in a multitude? "

'We have examples of all craft we have ever made in the museum if you would care to walk there. I'll join you I should get out of here once in a while.'

He and Xel'ena exited the building, leaving the technitians to finnish of Carson's craft.

http://z13.invisionfree.com/Galaxy3Rolepla...0&#entry2220948

The technicians looked up in awe. It had been a long time since they had made so much through manual labour, but Carson's new ship was complete. It was impressive and they were all very proud. A message was soon sent to Carson informing him of its completion.

Carson was quickly back in the hangar, ready to inspect his ship.

It wasn't such much that he expected it to look the same, it's just that the new shape, the new welding lines, the improved engines, wings, cockpit, all caught him quite off guard.

"I like it," He stated, arms folded across his chest. The hint of a smile played at the edges of his lips as he walked the full length of his new ship.

"What is the official designation of this craft design, on paper?"

'It's your ship you can name it what you want, we've been calling it the 002 Cutter-class Hyperglider'

"Sounds like something from a bad kid's show," Carson commented, letting his eyes settle across the lines, the new curves, the new thruster build.

The LADAR dome was a few inches forward from its original spot, which would give it less static from the thrusters.

The wings were one inch shorter on both sides, but seemed sturdier, as though a new skeleton had been installed. The forward gun mount for the machine gun was more protected and concealed, and the mount for the rail cannon was much sturdier.

"What is the percentage of energy efficiency increase over the Sunrise?"

'300% we found small ways to increace it as we went allong. Plus you have a better power source too. You could travel 10 times the distance without having to stop to refuel.